Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Scheduling Nightmares

This weekend I got a phone call about a job I applied for in Phoenix (yippee!). Tragically, the interview must be 'in person' and it must be THIS WEEK. She wanted to do the interview Wednesday at 8 am. This, as you can imagine is a small problem because A-I will be teaching Debate Wednesday at 8 am and B-I am in UTAH. We discussed this problem at length, trying to find a solution. 20 minutes on the phone with the very nice woman arranging the interview and I am officially being interviewed on Friday at 5. This means that I will come to school on Friday, teach for 1/2 a day, leave for the airport at 1pm. Fly out to Phoenix at 3 pm our time, arrive in Phoenix at 3:45 Arizona time. Interview at 5 pm. Spend Saturday with Isaac (Yippee!).

This then creates another smallish problem. I am supposed to be flying to DENVER on SUNDAY from SALT LAKE. So, another 20 minute phone call with the travel agency arranging the flights for the AP Reading. Flight changed from SLC to Phoenix, leaving at 8 in the morning Sunday. Arrive in Denver at 11:30. Wait for the shuttle an indeterminate amount of time. Take shuttle 1.5 hours to Fort Collins and Colorado State University. Arrive at CSU. Check in for AP Reading. Spend the week reading essays. Fly to SLC on the following Monday, June 9th. Doctor's appointment on June 10th. Fly to Phoenix on June 11th. Sigh.

Notice that no where in this schedule have I mentioned my 3.5 hour ESL class on Tuesday AND Thursday, nor have I included time to do my assignments for said ESL class, pack up my classroom, pack clothes to last for 10 days, find a couple books to read whilst in Denver and NOT reading essays, finalize my grades, turn in all my equipment or check out in the main office with the lovely secretaries/Vice Principals. All before Friday at 1pm.

Friday, May 23, 2008

The Countdowns....

I am counting down to many things. First, the end of school. I have 4 days (not counting today) left at Jordan. 2 class days and 2 grant days. :-) Technically, there are 2 weeks of school left, but because of my third countdown, I only have four days. HAHAHAHAHA. I laugh at everyone who has to stay for the last week! :-)

Second, the end of the ESL class from HECK. I have only 2 more classes. Technically, I should only have 1 more class and then questions to answer 'online', but, for reasons I will never understand, we are having an "in-person" class next Thursday. We are doing show and tell. I am not making this up. We are supposed to bring something that represents ourselves as a 'teacher and as a learner' and then we will all 'share'. Why, you ask? I don't know. But, we have to be there because show and tell is now worth 100 points. LAME. I am bringing Diet Coke. I am also not making that up. I am going to say, "Diet Coke, or more specifically the caffeine in Diet Coke, got me through graduate school so that I can teach...ergo-Me as a learner and as a teacher!" Do you think I'll get all 100 points?

Anyway, on to number 3: the AP reading. I fly out 1 week from Sunday. All week long I have been getting friendly little emails from the AP people. "Don't forget your social security card for the I-9!" "Bring a sweater! The reading room is quite chilly!" "Would you like to come on a tour of Rocky Mountain State Park?" and so on and so on. It should be quite interesting. 9 days!

And finally, the countdown to the official and permanent move to Arizona! This is a little longer, but nevertheless, I am still counting down. There are 18 days. Woohoo! Just a little more than 2 weeks! I have a couple of job interviews in the next few days, so hopefully by the time I get down there I will be gainfully employed! YIPPEE!!!!!!!!!!!

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

I have found someplace hotter than Hades.

Have you ever heard someone (most likely someone in my family) say "It's hotter than Hades!"? I have. In fact, I spent my whole life hearing people say that. However, I have always wondered if that was even possible. Can a place be hotter than Hades (which is really just a 'nice' way of saying hell)? I wasn't sure. Until this weekend. I spent this weekend with Isaac (yippee!), moving into our apartment (woohoo!) and now I know that yes, indeed there is a place hotter than Hades. It is called... Arizona.

Arizona is exceptionally hot. Not just a little hot, but "I think I might die of dehydration" hot. Luckily, we learned that I, apparently, need to drink something pretty much 24/7 and so I am not dead right now. But without that, I would be dead. Very, Very dead. Especially after the moving part. Unfortunately, I am the most useless moving helper on the planet. I'd carry one box up the 3 FLIGHTS OF STAIRS to our apartment and then I'd have to rest for 20 minutes until the urge to A)pass out or B) throw up, went away. Good thing Donny, from apartment 2018, happened by and graciously helped us, or we'd still be there unloading that truck. And by 'we' I mean Isaac, because I'd be dead. Isaac appeared unfazed by the heat. He was a moving machine.

Our new little apartment in Arizona is lovely. Isaac did a very good job picking it out! I actually really like being on the third floor-it seems to be quieter and we overlook the little courtyard instead of the parking lot, so walking up miles and miles worth of stairs was worth it. Mostly.

We had no furniture, so we used the money the government kindly gave us (without interest for all the time they were using it-but whatever) to buy cute new Ikea furniture (entertainment center, couch, chair, lamps, end tables, ottoman...Ikea is my friend) and a dining room table (not from Ikea). At some point, I'll have to post pictures but not right now. When I left, there were still boxes of books on the floor because we ran out of bookshelves and I am pretty sure noone wants to see pictures of my boxes of books. But soon.

Now I just need to finish my teaching job here in Utah and find another job in Arizona and then I will move permanently. Yesterday, I told my principal I was leaving for Arizona and he wasn't a happy camper. I was flattered, but it is time to move on! Anyone know of any teaching jobs in Arizona? :-)